Coming Home: Day 29 — Perhaps

On this near-last day of this month of transformative work, I’m hearing all the censor voices, the voices who don’t want this writing to happen, the voices who think this work is useless/indulgent/perverted/dangerous/stupid/non-revolutionary. I am hearing the voices of shut it down. I am hearing the voices of you are doing harm. I am hearing the voices of the perpetrators, the afraid, the lost, the broken — all those voices that still live in my skin.

Here I am writing anyway. All of that might be true: here I am writing anyway.

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I would like to tell you about the orgasms yesterday, but I made a promise to my psychic-inside self that those would be just for me alone, and so I am going to keep that promise. What I will say is that I’m grateful. And sore.

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So I’m going back to the beginning.

(From ACT UP NY) In 1994, at a United Nations World AIDS Day Conference, Dr. Joycelyn Elders (then the Surgeon General of the United Staes) was asked:“…if masturbation might be taught as a way to prevent AIDS?” Joycelyn Elders replied:“masturbation is something that is a part of human sexuality, and is a part of something that perhaps should be taught.” (later she said, “masturbation is really something you don’t have to teach.”)

She was fired for this: …perhaps should be taught. Fired, I’ll remind you, by our ostensibly-liberal Mr. Clinton. You’ll recall what he thought should be taught.

Perhaps, she said. Dr. Elders’ statements would still be controversial if uttered today by a public figure.

This is why I’m writing. This is a why of this blog.

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How and whether you come is entirely your business. The fact is, though, that everyone has the right to deep pleasure, to self-knowledge and self-care, to knowledge and information about bodies and sexuality and sensuality. We get to resurrect the parts of ourselves shoved into a closet, or shoved under our heartbeats, or tossed in the trash, when all we were able to do was survive day to day with our breath intact. Whether or not you want to re/claim those parts of yourself is your business — don’t stand in the way of anyone else’s desire do to so.

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Be so sweet to yourself today. I’m practicing the same. Come again tomorrow — see you then.

2 Responses to "Coming Home: Day 29 — Perhaps"

I'm hearing all the censor voices, the voices who don't want this writing to happen, the voices who think this work is useless/indulgent/perverted/dangerous/stupid/non-revolutionary. I am hearing the voices of shut it down. I am hearing the voices of you are doing harm. I am hearing the voices of the perpetrators, the afraid, the lost, the broken — all those voices that still live in my skin.

Here I am writing anyway. All of that might be true: here I am writing anyway.

Here I am writing anyway. That's right and thank god for that is all I can say. That and yes. <3

Thanks thanks thanks, Renee! All we can do is get up and keep going, right?

xo!Jen

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Reclaiming a radical self love

coming home is a blatant celebration of the power of masturbation, particularly for survivors of sexual violence. I welcome your thoughts and experiences!
Use the menus at the top of the page to find out more about this project and about Jen Cross. You can read more from Jen at writingourselveswhole.org
Be easy with you, and come again.